Sometimes Shorter Is Better

As some know there are two things on my bucket list that I want to do above all others before I pass.  One is to go feral hog hunting and the other is to take a deer by archery and modern gun in the same year.

To fulfill one and a half of those items I bought a Henry H010 .45-70 not too long ago.  Should be enough gun to take care of anything in North America unless Woolly Mammoths should be suddenly resurrected through the efforts of modern science.

Having failed miserably when in my youth trying to learn how to shoot a recurve bow, and now sadly lacking the strength to manipulate a compound bow, I decided that I may need to try that dreadful imitation, according to bow purist, a crossbow.

I did my research and looked at my limitations, monetary (some going for as much as $3,000 or more) and physical (I really didn't see me being able to pull the bow string on a 165 lb pull weight), and finally settled on one from a local Mom and Pop shop here in town.  I bought it from there because I knew I could take it back and have any problems taken care of by their on site bow guy.

I went out today and zeroed the sights and was very pleased overall with it, wait for it, except for one thing.  It came with a cocking rope that halves the draw weight to approximately 86 lbs.  Before I plunked down the money for it yesterday I made sure that would a comfortable weight for me to handle.  I had no problem at all at the shop.  Today, however, was a slightly different story.  I did seem to be able to pull it far enough back to get the bow string into the firing mechanism and locked up to fire.  No matter how hard I pulled or the different techniques I tried I just could not get it to lock up.

A friend from next door made the comment that I needed to shorten the stroke by about six inches.  (Insert here that look of incredibly-obvious-ideas-that-I-should-have-known looks.)

I thought to myself, "Well duh turtle breath, shorten the cocking rope!"  I did by taking up about three inches on each handle and tried again.  Yeppers I finally got that brain you promised oh mighty Wizard of Oz!  For the rest of the time we shot it today, it was a pleasure and I had no problems at all cocking it.  Success!

Some times shorter is better and in this case, all I had to do was shorten up on the rope and success followed.

I'll let you know if I get the bucket list completed.  I might even invite you to the wild game BBQ.  If you're good.  And if I feel like it.....

Until next time......................